Boot or shoe stretcher



(No Model.)

Y L. NOTTINGHAM.

v I v BOOT OR SHOE STRETGHER. No. 357,131. Patented Feb. 1, 1887.

llNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE. g

LLOYD NOTTINGHAM, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

BOOT OR SHOE STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,131, dated February 1, 1887.

Application filed June 1, 1886. Serial No. 203,550. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, LLOYD NOTTINGHAM, of Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boot or Shoe Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in an improved boot or. shoe stretcher which possesses advantages in the points of simplicity of construction and ease and convenience in use, and which is provided with means for securing the stretchinglevers in their adjusted positions, all as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved boot or shoe stretcher, showing the same arranged to stretch the toe of a boot or shoe. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the stretcher arranged to stretch the instep of a boot or shoe. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view through the lower operative ends of the centrally-pivoted levers, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the circular base-piece and of the differentlength removable blocks which are employed.

The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by letter, A

A indicate the centrally-pivoted stretchinglevers, which are pivoted together at their cen ters by a suitable pivot-bolt, B, as shown, and the lower operative end of each of the'said levers is formed witha transverse aperture, 0, countersunk on its inner portion, as clearly shown in the sectional view, Fi g. 3, of the drawings, for the purpose hereinafter specified.

One of the centrally-pivoted levers, A, has formed in it, above its pivotal point, an inclined screw-threaded aperture, D, in whichworks the adjustingscrew D, the inner endofwhich bears against the inner face of that portion of the other lever, A, both of these levers being made ofsuitable metal. upper portions or handles of both of the levers are formed with the series of notches E E, adapted to receive the ends of the lockingpieces F, which are of different lengths.

G indicates the removable stretchingblocks, which are of various lengths, and which are formed with the rounded outer operative end and the flat inner end, having the retainingpin G. I

The inner sides ofthe H indicates a flat circular base-piece, which is provided witha central upwardly-extending pin, H.

In operation, when it is desired to stretch the toe of a boot or shoe, the shoe-maker takes one of the long blocks G and inserts its retaining-pin into the aperture 0 at the lower end of one of the levers, as shown in Fig. 1,

when the same is placed in the boot or shoe, and by turning the adjusting-screw to the right the ends of the centrally-pivoted levers are gradually forced apart, so as to stretch the toe to any desired extent, as will be readily understood, and when the adjusting-screw has been turned to separate the levers to the desired extent the stretcher is held firmly in its adjusted position by inserting one of the pieces F between the notched handles of the levers,

7 when the stretching is accomplished as previously described. By forming the apertures O with the enlarged or countersunk inner portions it will be seen that the pins of the blocks are permitted to move or rock to a certain extent, so that th'e stretching-blocks may rock sufficiently as the levers are opened to retain their proper positions without being inclined out of the same by the movement of the levers.

By employing blocks of different lengths any part of a boot or shoe of any size may be readily and easily stretched and the stretcher securely locked in its open adjusted position,

. as described, and will thus remain in its exact adjusted position while the dressing placed on the boot or shoe is drying, 8:0.

It will be seen that the blocks, with their rounded outer ends,are of about the same shape as the handle of an ordinary shoe-makers awl, and the shoe-maker may in fact utilize an awl for this purpose in place of a block of the described construction, the rounded blade of the awl answering in place of the pin of the one of the said blocks.

IOU

From the foregoing description, taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of myimproved boot or shoe stretcher will be readily under- 5 stood. It will be seen that my invention is strong and simple in construction, and can be manufactured at a small cost, while at the same time it is very effieient in its operation. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The combination, with the centrally-pivoted levers having the tapered openings in their lower ends and the series of notches formed in the inner sides of their handles, of 15 the removablebloek and the flat base-piece having the retaining-pins, and the locking- Witnesses:

SOLON O. KEMON, CHAs. A. Pn'r'rrr. 

